South East Coach Co-ordintors Get Technical

Monday 30 August 2010

The Scottish FA South East Region Coach Development Group participated in an enthralling workshop on Wednesday evening (25th August) at Peffermill. The theme for the workshop was Technique Development for young players and within the session SFA guest coach, Ritchie Wilson focused on the key principles for developing technique within young players;

As well as his position as Regional Manager for the Scottish FA South West Region, Wilson is currently leading a national programme of technique development for young players and has been working with Scotland’s Professional Clubs to ensure that coaches are working on the key elements for developing young players.

The Group which meet regularly have been identified by their respective clubs as their club’s Coach Coordinator which is an essential part of meeting the Scottish FA’s Quality Mark criteria. The role of the Coach Coordinator is to support and mentor the coaches within their own club.

Mark Munro, SFA Regional Manager for the South East believes that the Coach Coordinators hold a key role within their clubs, “The Quality Mark Coach Coordinators are vital to the development of grassroots football in the Region. If we can support these coaches through the coach education pathway as well as providing individual mentoring support, not only will they develop the players under their charge, but they will play a key mentoring role for coaches within their own clubs. We want these coaches to go back to their own clubs and share new and best practice within their clubs as well as with coaches from other clubs. We have a great group of coaches in the South East and it is important that our young players and coaches really focus on developing the technique and tonight’s workshop is just one of many we have throughout the year”.

Billy McAdam, a coach at BFC Linlithgow was in attendance and thought the workshop was very worthwhile, “The SFA coaches emphasised the importance of developing technique and promoting creativity amongst players. Ritchie’s session was fantastic and provided us with some good examples of practices we can use that will develop players on so many levels, whether focusing on touch, technique, creativity and awareness whilst allowing the players to be challenged and express their own ideas”

The South East Region Coach Coordinators will join coaches from the other five Scottish Regions on September 19th at Forthbank Stadium in Stirling where they will have the opportunity to work with Everton Youth Coaching Guru, Tosh Farrell.

For more information on the Scottish FA Quality Mark and the South East Region Coach Development Group please contact David Drummond (SFA South East Region Club Development Manager) on 0131 667 8245 or email david.drummond@scottishfa.co.uk .